Territory



(No Model.)

G'. W. MILLER MAIL POUCH.

No. 401,196. Patented Apr. 9, 1889.

qmifweooeoe N PEYEBQ Phowumn m her. Waahingkon. 0.6.

UNITED STATES ATENT i rricn.

CHARLES XV. MILLER, OF CLIFTON, ARIZONA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ONEJIALFTO CIIARLESROYCE, OF SAME PLACE.

MAIL-POUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,196, dated April 9,1889.

Application filed July'Zl, 1888. Serial No.280,595. (No model.)

ton, in the county of Graham and Territory of Arizona, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Pouches; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full,

clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to mail-pouches; and among the objects inview are to provide a self opening and locking pouch that is simple inconstruction and can be easily and quickly operated, and can bemanufactured at a minimum cost, and which is practically indestructible.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,an d the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upperend of a mailpouch constructed in accordance with my invention, the samebeing shown in an open position. 2 is a plan view, the pouch beingclosed as shown in full lines and open as shown by dotted lines. Fig. 3is an interior view of the locking-plate. Fig. at is a transversesection on the 'line :0 0c of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a plan of thespringhinge employed.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

1 represents the pouch,which maybe made of any suitable material, andpreferably of leather, as is usual. At the opposite upper edges of themouth of, the pouch, and for a portion of its width, there arerivetedopposite plates, 2 and 3. The plate 2 is preferably formed ofsteel, and is curved or otherwise finished at its ends and provided withtransverse semicircular recesses d, and at intervals along its innerface with inwardly-projecting shoulder-lugs 5.

Pouch-supporting hooks 6 may be projected from the outer surface of theplate 2, as may also a handheld, 7, if desired. Each end of the pouch. lis formed of a bellows shape when the pouch is open,and is provided withopposite slots 8, for the passage therethrough of those of the lugs 5which are outside of the edges of the pouch, the remainder of the seriesof lugs being passed through the pouch, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Below the series of lugs 5 there is secured a spring-plate, 9, havingslots 10, agreeing in number and location with said lugs, said platebeing secured in any suitable manner to the interior of the pouch, andadapted normally to remain at an inclined position for the pur pose offorming a guard, so that in emptying the sack letters and othermail-matter will not be interfered with in their passage from the pouchby means of the lugs.

3 represents the lock-plate, which is also formed of metal, preferablyof steel, and is provided with an interior chamber, in which is mountedfor longitudinal movement a bolt or plate, 11, having openings 12,agreeing in location with similar openings, 13, formed in the inner faceof said plate, and also with the number and location of the lugs 75,formed on the plate 2. A spring, 14, is interposed between the end ofthe plate 3 and the end of the bolt-plate 11, the tendency of which isto force said plate toward the opposite end of the lock-plate, asclearly shown in 3.

A key-hole, 15, is formed in the outer surface of the plate 3 for thereception of a key, and is located opposite the key-receiving notch 16,formed in the plate 11.

If desired, any suitable lock may be substituted for the one hereinshown, so that by a combination of false and working tumblerspeculiar-shaped keys may be employed to open the pouch.

In case the pouch is to be used for only seeon d and third classmail-such as newspapers, circulars, and other unimportant matter,whereit is unnecessary to lock the samethe plate 3 may be provided at itsouter surface with a slot, 17, through which a lug, 18, formed on thebolt-plate 11, projects, and in this manner the cost of the lock isreduced and all intricate m echanism done away with. The plate 3, likethe plate 2, is also formed with curved ends and with semicirculartransverse recesses 4 near its ends, whereby said plates are adapted forthe reception of a peculiarshaped hinge, which I will now proceed todescribe.

19 represents a self-opening spring-hinge, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and4, the same consists of a single piece of wire coiled intermediate itsends and about its center, as at 20, and near its ends, as at 21. Thehinge consists of two members coiled as described, and connected attheir central coil by the passage therethrough of a pin, 22, and attheir side coils by similar pins, 23. The two parallel arms of thesprings are connected by means of a metal plate, 24, having slots 25,registering with adjacent slots 8, formed in the pouch. Those oppositeportions of the upper edge of the pouch 1 that are not riveted to theplates 2 and 3 are riveted to the metal plate 24, as shown in Fig. 1, sothat the entire upper edge of the pouch is secured either to the hinges,one of each of which is secured at each end of the pouch or to theplates 2 and 3. The side coils, 21, of the springhinges 19 are set inrecesses 26,formed in the plates 2 and 3 for their reception, and theterminals of the springs are secured by means of solder or otherwise tothe inner faces of said plates.

By this construction it is apparent that, the pouch having been filled,to lock the same it is only necessary to bring the two plates 2 and 3together, so that the locking-lugs 5'of the plate 2 will pass throughand beyond the openings in the plate 12. The ends of these lugs arebeveled, so as to force the plate 12 against the spring 14 until theshoulders of said lugs pass beyond the opposite face of thelocking-plate, when said plate resumes its normal position and forms alock against said shoulders, all as shown in Fig. 2. When the partsassume this position, the central coil, 20, of the spring-hinge isinclosed in the plates 2 and 3. As the pouch closes it is also apparentthat the spring-plate 9 will be forced against the inner surface of thepouch, the shouldered lugs 5 passing through the slots 10 of said plate;and it is also apparent that as the pouch is closed the two oppositeends fold in a sack-like manner, and that the two, or it may be more,outer shoulder-lugs, 5, will pass through openings 8, formed in thepouch, and the openings 25, formed in the plate 24, so that the entirepouch is securely locked along its width. To unlock the pouch the key isinserted through the hole 15 in the plate 3, and by a slight turn of thesame the bolt-plate 11 is drawn from under the shoulders of the lugs 5and the springs 19 force the pouch open, in which position it remainsunless locked.

Any form of hinge may be substituted for the class shown, and saidhinges may be either plain or spring. It is apparent that by theformation of the coils 20 and 21 the mouth of the pouch will be heldrigid when open.

If desired, the supporting-staples 6 maybe omitted, and the pouch, whenopened, may be supported by the projecting arms 2 and 3, the sameresting upon suitable pins projecting from the wall of the car. Anopening, 27, is

formed in the lock-plate 3, in which may be slid a card, 28, on whichappears the destination of the contents of the bag.

Having described my invention and its opi eration, what I claim is 1. Ina mail-pouch, the combination of a plate secured at one side of themouth for a portion of the length of the plate, and provided with aseries of locking-lugs, with a locking+plate mounted at the oppositeside of said pouch and secured thereto for a portion of its length, andadapted to receive said lugs, substantially as specified.

2. In a mail-pouch, the combination of a locking-plate secured at oneside of the mouth of the pouch for a portion of the length of the plate,and provided with lugs, with a locking-plate secured to the oppositeside of the pouch for a portion of its length, and provided withspring-actuated locking-bolt having openings adapted to receive saidlugs, substantially as specified.

3. In 'a mail-pouch, the combination of a plate havinginwardly-projecting lockinglugs with a spring-pressed slottedguard-plate secured to the pouch under the lugs, substantially asspecified.

4. In a mail-pouch, a plate having lockinglugs connected for a portionof its length to the pouch, in combination with a lockingplate securedfor a portion of its length to the opposite side of the pouch, andprovided with a locking-bolt for the reception of lugs, and aninterposed hinge, the ends of which are connected to said plate,substantially as specified.

5. In a mail-pouch, the combination of opposite plates adapted to lockand secured to the pouch for a portion of their length with aninterposed spring-hinge adapted to spring the plates apart when saidplates are not locked, substantially as specified.

6. In a mail-pouch, the combination of two opposite plates adapted tolock with a springhinge secured to and mounted intermediate said plates,and formed with a central 'coil adapted to take into recesses formed inthe ends of said plates when the same are closed and locked,substantially as specified.

7. The combination, with the pouch 1, of the plate 2, having the lugs 5and connected to the pouch for a portion of its length, and of the plate3, having the openings 13 and 15, the interposed inwardly-folding hinges19, and the bolt-plate ll, perforated, as at 12, and having theinterposed spring 14, substantially as specified.

8. The combination, with the pouch l, having openings 8, of the plate 2,having the end recesses, 4, and the lugs 5, and of the locking-plate 3,having the openings 13, and locking-bolt 11, having openings 12, thespring 14, for actuating said bolt-plate, and of the spring-hinges 19,having the coils 20 and 21, and the stifteningplate 24, perforated, asat 25, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix 'my signature in presence of two witnesses.I

CHARLES W. MILLER.

Witnesses:

W. S. DUVALL, L. O. HILLS.

